News: The Indian Navy has unveiled the crest of ASW-SWC Mahe before its commissioning in Mumbai.
About ASW-SWC Mahe
- INS Mahe is the first ship of the new Mahe-class ASW-SWC series, intended for the Indian Navy.
- The ship is named after the coastal town of Mahe on India’s western coast, tying the unit to Indian maritime heritage.
- Built by: Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) at Kochi.
- It embodies India’s push for “Aatmanirbharta / self-reliance” in naval shipbuilding.
- Ship’s motto: “Silent Hunters”—reflecting stealth, vigilance and the ASW ethos of submarine detection and neutralisation.
- Features of the ship:
- The ship is optimised for shallow waters, swift manoeuvrability, and stealth—key in littoral ASW tasks.
- Its missions include submarine-hunting in near-coastal waters, coastal patrol, maritime surveillance and protection of offshore/approach zones.
- The design emphasises low acoustic signature, reduced radar cross-section (RCS) and other stealth features (typical of ASW-SWC designs).
- The ship’s crest features a traditional flexible sword—an “Urumi”, from the martial art of Kalarippayattu (Kerala).
- The Urumi rises from stylised waves, symbolising agility, precision and lethal grace in the maritime domain.
- Strategic Significance: INS Mahe marks a significant milestone in India’s indigenous warship-building capability for anti-submarine warfare in shallow/coastal waters.
